Valve for musical instruments



Patented July 28, 1925.

UNITE D SIA'FES.Y

1,547,272 PATENT OFFICE.

PETER TOTTIE, OF` SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR. T THE. VEGA COM-PANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed July1 ao, 19,23. serial-No. 654,561.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known vthat I, PETER ToT'rLn, of`

Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, aVcitizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Valves for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this speciiication, in explaining itsnature.

The present invention relates to an improvement in valves for musicalinstrmnents` of the wind type. The invention relates f more especially7to a valve in which there is employed a movable piston controlled by aspring contained within the stem of the piston and which spring isretained in partv by astar so called. This star, owing to the customarymode ofv its retention, is apt to become tipped and not properly seatedespecially during the assembling of the parts of the valve and whentipped the star 'prevents proper action of the piston and the valve maycease to function.

The object of the invention is to provide a member whereby tipping ofthe star willbe prevented and its proper seating insuredes-` peciallywhen the parts of the valve are assembled; also, whereby such memberswill permit of the star being easily manufactured and applied, togetherwith its retaining member, to the valve during the assembling of itsparts.

The invention can best be seen and understood by reference to thedrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved valve.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the star.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section of the star.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the star.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a plan of the star in blank.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a cast or formed piece from which theblanks shown in Fig. 7 are severally cut.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a detail of construction to which specialreference will later be made, and

Fig. 10 is a cross section on the line 10-10 of F ig. 9.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents the casing or tubeof the valve. 2is.the piston movable through the casing for controlling its usual ports3. The piston is provided with a hollow stem 4 affixed to the top end ofthe piston. The stem is of slightly less diameter than the pistonleaving the top,y end of the piston forming an annular edge or shoulder222 around the bottom end ofy the stem. Vithin the hole low of the stemis contained a coiledspring 5 which is retained as will later beexplained.y The stem is also provided on opposite sides thereof with theusual slots 6 and 7 and oppositely-arranged side openingsy 8 and 9.

thumb piece 12 isa cap 13 which threadsv onto the top end of thecasing.Thus arranged the piston is movable through the casing withindefinedlimits. The piston is maintained in a normal raised positionandreturned to such position when depressed, by the spring 5containedwithin the cavity of the stem 4` and is otherwise retained asfollows:r At the top end the spring bears against the interiorofthe cap10 on the top end of-V the stem 4. `At its bottom end the spring bearsagainst a star,14.

The star 14 comprises a body portion 15 which lies within the cavity ofthe stem 4 at its bottom where the stem joins the body of the piston,the body of the star resting on the top end of the piston. Projectingfrom the body of the star are wings 16 and 17, respectively, which passthrough the slots 6 and 7 in the opposite sides of the stem andoutwardly beyond the same to rest upon the annular edge or shoulder 222at the top end of the piston. The extension of the wings is also beyondthe opposite side walls of the piston and when the piston and stem andcombined star are placed withinrthe casing or tube 1 of the valve theouter ends of the wings will become seated in slots 18 cut within theinterior wall of the casing, the wings resting upon shoulders 181forming the bottom ends of these slots.

It is this star 14 which is apt to become tipped and assume an inclinedposition preventing its proper seating and when thus tipped and unseatedit causes the piston to stick and necessitates aV 'disassembling of theentire valve before the star can berestored to its proper position.-

Y The tippingV of the star is prevented by aixing to it a centering postor stud 20 which extends upwardly therefrom at substantially rightangles thereto to lie within the coil of the spring 5 and interior ofthe stem 4, and against the coils of which spring backed by thesurrounding wall of the stem the post has lateral bearing. Y A

The centering post 2O is fixed'to thestar by providing the body of theVstar with an annular slightly raised bushing 21V inter-V nally threadedVand into which the lower threadedend of thepost is screwed. Surroundingthis bushing thev body of the star is provided with an annular socket22forming a seating for the lower end of the spring 5. Y 1

rlhe centering post 2O is of a size or thickness diametrically as tohave but a limited lateral play within the coil of the spring 5 andsurrounding wall of the stem 4 and accordingly by reason of the limitedplay afforded itrprevents tipping of the star or such tipping ordisplacement as would cause vthe piston to stick. 1 Y

The star and post are made as separate elements, the post being attachedto the star'V during the assembling of the parts. rlhe Vstarris insertedwithin the hollow of theV stem 4 by passing it throughthe slots in theside of the stem in the usual manner and afterward the star is moved tothe'topv endA of thestem within the limit afforded by the slots, whenthe post may be screwed onto the starby inserting it through the opentop end of the stem. v

The means thus provided for preventing displacement of the stair is suchas will enble the star to be easily manufactured. In

fact, blank stars a may be cut from a cast or formed piece b and theblank stars easily machined into finished stars. The center posts Havingthus fully described my invention, I claim Vand desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States 1. A valve of the type speciedcomprising a casing, a piston, a hollow slotted stem to the piston, aspring within the hollow stem, a star within said stem with a wingprojection extending through the slotted wall of the stem andagainst'which star the are cut from a rod and easily machined orthreaded to ,screw onto the star.

spring has bearing, and a centering post af- Y fixed to said star andextending therefrom into the hollow of said stein.

2. A valve of the type specified compris-V ing a casing, a piston, ahollow slotted stein to the pistonfa ycoiled spring witlnnthe holwingprojection extending' through the slotted wallof the stem and againstwhich vlowV stem, a star within said stem with a Y star the spring hasbearing, and a centering i post affixed to said star and extendingtherefrom to be contained within the coil of'said spring and hollow ofthe stem. .i

3. A valve of the type' specifiedcomprising a casing, to the piston, acoiled spring within said hollow stem,' a star within said stem with awing projection extending through Vthe slotted wall of theV steinH andagainst which a piston, a hollow slotted stem` star the spring hasbearing, and a centering post having a threaded end aflixed toV saidstar whereby thepcst may project from the vstar and be containedwithinthe coil of said vspring and hollow of the stem, said star having a bodywith an internally threaded bushing for Vreceiving said Ystem andsurroundingsaid bushing an annular seat for Said Spring' PETER ToTTLr

